Russia loses communication with its only space telescope Spektr-R

The only space radio telescope of Russia is no longer responding to the commands from the base

Despite the breakdown, the space telescope still transmits scientific data and has managed to function beyond the expected 5-year lifespan

A whole new Russian-German satellite called Spektr-RG is expected to launch early this year

MOSCOW, Russia - The only space radio telescope of Russia is no longer responding to the commands from the base.

According to Nikolai Kardashev, the Astro Space Centre chief, the Spektr-R satellite's communication system had already stopped working.

Spektr-R was launched into space to conduct research on the dynamics and structure of radio sources within and beyond the Milky Way.

Russian specialists had continuously tried and failed to mend the lost connection. Despite the breakdown, the space telescope still transmits scientific data and has managed to function beyond the expected 5-year lifespan.

The head of research for the Spektr-R project, Yuri Kovalev, expressed that there could still be hope.

The space telescope was launched into space on July 18, 2011.

A whole new Russian-German satellite called Spektr-RG is expected to launch early this year.

This new space observatory is designed to perform a four-year survey to detect active galactic nuclei and new clusters of galaxies.